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ENVIRONMENTAL
SERVICES AND PRODUCTS
INC. Ultra
Germicidal Air Probe Sanitizer A
Professional Evaluation 1.
Introduction While
the environmental advocacy and regulatory movements have alerted us to the
deterioration of our biosphere and its impact on human health, relatively little
attention has focused on the significance of our indoor environments. Recent
evidence suggests that physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and
shortness of breath, sinus congestion, coughing, sneezing, skin irritation,
watery eyes, dizziness, nausea and a host of other ailments may all be
associated with a number of problems caused by poor building ventilation.
Collectively the building induced ailments have given rise to what is known as
“Sick Building Syndrome” or “building related illness”. These physical
ailments are the result of unhealthy indoor air. Unlike
the outdoor or ambient environment, the indoor
air environment is easily contaminated by individuals who suffer from
respiratory disease or disorders, indoor blooming plants, damp cooling coils
that provide an excellent medium for growing molds, bacteria, fungi, and
protozoa, germ-carrying pets, and decaying organic matter. Once the
indoor air quality is contaminated by these agents in a building with “Sick
Building Syndrome” the poor ventilation coupled with faults in the
building’s design create a very unhealthy indoor environment for people. This
is particularly a serious health problem if the building is a home or multiple
housing units. Housing
is, in fact, part of our living environment, emphasizing the need to design and
develop healthy and sustainable living environments. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has taken up the issues related to indoor air quality
and “Sick Building Syndrome” over the past five years with proposed
regulations coupled with extensive research seeking solutions and other remedies. It
is in response to this situation that Clean Air Concepts developed and patented
a low cost Ultraviolet System designed to dramatically improve indoor air
quality and eliminate Sick Building Syndrome. The Ultraviolet system developed
by Clean Air Concepts is trademarked ULTRA GERMICIDAL AIR PROBE SANITIZER. The
Air Probe Sanitizer must be placed in the heating air conditioning ductwork of a
building. In the duct work it concentrates powerful Ultraviolet light upon all
biological agents suspended in the indoor air as it flows through the heating or
air conditioning system. In addition, large macromolecules bound dust particles,
spores, pollen and cysts are irradiated continuously due to the air flow
carrying them past the Ultraviolet Probes. These molecules are destroyed from
the irradiation subsequent ionization that occurs continuously over the course
of a twenty-four hour day. Microbial
units in the air are reduced by over 90% and macromolecules carrying order and
respiratory irritants are completely destroyed in the first twenty-four hours of
operation. 2.
Air Handlers Unique, Patented, Ultraviolet Air Probe Sanitizer for Indoor Air
Sanitation. A. What is the Ultra Germicidal Air Probe
Sanitizer? The
Ultra Germicidal Air Probe Sanitizer is a self-contained
Underwriters Laboratory (U.L.) Approved ultraviolet light generator designed to
sanitize the air flow through the ductwork of the heating and air conditioning
systems of buildings. The design and other features of this generator are
patented. B.
How it achieves its 95% effectiveness in destroying airborne biological agents. The key to the effectiveness of the Ultra Germicidal Air
Probe Sanitizer is the powerful ultraviolet light it generates and maintains
while it is on. The
Ultraviolet field is powerful enough to denature all of the proteins and nucleic
acid macromolecules found in bacteria, fungi, viruses, molds and airborne cysts
of protozoa. After several passes through the ultraviolet light field
around the probes, nearly all of the biological agents are destroyed. The
proteins and nucleic acids absorb large amounts of radiant energy in a very
short time because they pass unshielded through the ultraviolet field. Their
molecular contents undergo almost immediate ionization. When this occurs
they are killed instantly. These populations never recover. Organisms that enter
the building through doorways, windows, and through people carrying cold
viruses, bacteria, ECT. are quickly picked up in the indoor air flow and
subsequently carried into the ductwork to be destroyed by the Ultraviolet light
field. This is all accomplished over and over again without any chemicals
biocides. C.
Destruction of macromolecules by Ultraviolet Irradiation. Large high molecular weight molecules such as proteins, fatty acids, and nucleic acids are
destroyed by the ionization caused by ultraviolet irradiation. These
molecules are found in
pollen, spores, and many other byproducts. Odor causing molecules that
are emitted from molds and mildew cultures growing on heat and cooling systems
coils are destroyed when passed through the Ultraviolet light field. The
microbial cultures growing on the coils are destroyed and prevented from
re-establishment when the Ultra Germicidal Air Probe Sanitizer is installed to
specifically irradiate the coils. D.
The Cleansing Action of the Ultra Germicidal Air Probe Sanitizer. Just
as the Ultra Germicidal Air
Probe Sanitizer prevents the establishment of colonies of molds, fungi,
and bacteria on the moist surface of the cooling coils of an air conditioning
system, it destroys
biological growth in the duct work. By causing ionization to occur in
nearly all of the airborne dust particles that pass through the Ultraviolet
light field the dust particles settle out of the air. When they are removed
through household cleaning (dusting, vacuuming of carpets, ect.) the entire
building takes on a dust-free status. Recontamination of the air is not possible
as long as the Ultraviolet Germicidal Air Probe Units are operating. High purity
air quality is guaranteed when the units are installed and operated by Air
Handlers. 3.
Cost and Safety Issues. The
cost of the double probe Ultra Germicidal Air Probe Sanitizer unit sufficient to
sanitize the indoor air of a small two-bedroom apartment (approximately 1,500
3,000 square feet) is less than $1500.00 installed. The cost of electricity to
operate the unit is pennies per day even in high electricity cost areas. The
Probes (Ultraviolet light bulbs) should be replaced annually to provide maximum
Ultraviolet light at all times. There
are also single probe units and customized multi-bulb units of up to twelve feet
in length to sanitize large coils. The
Ultraviolet emitters are housed in a design that ensures the absolute safety of
all people, pets and plants living in a building. In addition to the duct work,
and out of direct view, the system emits Ultraviolet light in a shielded field
where the rays cannot escape. Installation is done by professional electricians
using safe procedures. The electrical integrity of the units is U.L. Approved. 4.
US.EPA Regulatory Programs related to “Sick Building Syndrome”. The
EPA’s approach to addressing the “Sick Building Syndrome” has been largely
through the use and advocacy of improved ventilation. In addition to the
proposed “Standards For Indoor Air Quality” now under review and comment,
the EPA has done very little to effectively address the direct problems caused
by airborne biological agents. The
main focus of the EPA Indoor Air Quality Regulations addresses toxic and
carcinogenic components such as asbestos, urethane fumes, and lead paint. While
these are extremely important indoor air quality issues, comparable attention
and regulatory controls are not provided for biological agents. There is no
balance in the EPA regulations addressing both issues. The
U.S. government has supported the controlled use of Ultraviolet light to
Sanitize rooms and special equipment. NASA used Ultraviolet light to irradiate
space tools and the astronauts who landed on the moon in 1969. Moon rocks and
all tools were sterilized with Ultraviolet. NASA has set up a Safety Commission
on March 4, 1997 to advise technologies to control possible life that could be
brought to Earth on returning space vehicles. Ultraviolet light treatment will
surely be an option. 5.
Conclusion The
Ultra Germicidal Air Probe Sanitizer is the most effective, lowest cost and most
reliable indoor air purifier on the market today. It
is absolutely safe and presents no hazards to any occupant of the building where
it is installed. It
provides a sanitized environment that removes dust, odors, and all pathogenic
microbes and continually maintains this status. It
is the only laboratory proven non-chemical device on the market today that
cleans cooling coils of all biological growth with no recurrence during constant
use. It
is customer proven, with hundreds of very satisfied users. 6.
References 1.
American Lung Association, 1998. Health Effects and Sources of Indoor Air
Pollution-Part 1 and 2. American Lung Association; New York, New York. 2.
Brief, Richard S. Bernath, Tibar. 1998. Indoor Pollution; Guidelines for
Prevention and Control of Microbiological Respiratory Hazards Associated with
Air Conditioning and Ventilation Systems. Applied Industrial Hygiene. Volume 3,
No.1 January 1988. 3. Crowther, Richard, 1989, Indoor Air-Risks and Remedies, Library of Congress Catalog Number 85742. 4. Dates et. al. 1991 Respiratory Health Effects of Home Dampness and Molds Among Canadian Children, American Journal of Epidemiology 134:196-203 5. Lippman, M et.al. 1985. Critical Issues In Air Pollution Epidemiology, Environmental Health Perspectives 62: 234-258. 6. US EPA 1990. Pilot Study on Indoor Air Quality-Managing Indoor Air Quality Risks, EPA Washington, D.C. 7. US EPA 1990, Residential Air Cleaning Devices. A Summary of Available Information. EPA. Washington, D.C. 8. US EPA 1992, Indoor Biological Pollutants, EPA, Washington D.C. 9. US EPA 1993, EPA Journal-Indoor Air, EPA Washington D.C. Vol. 19, Number 4. 10. US EPA 1996, Building Air Quality. EPA Washington, D.C. 11. US EPA 1995, Indoor Air Quality-Risks Characterization, EPA. Washington, D.C.
William L. Mills Ph. D. Consultant Former Professor of Environmental Microbiology and Engineering, Center for Environmental Quality Management. School of Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 1977-1989. Former member of the President’s Council on Environmental Quality, Executive Office. March
5, 1997 Call: Richard Fix 1-888-218-1146 Email: info@TheEscapeSystem.com
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